Check a workbook for compatibility with earlier versions of Excel

To ensure that a Microsoft Office Excel 2007 workbook does not have compatibility issues that cause a significant loss of functionality or a minor loss of fidelity in an earlier version of Excel, you can run the Compatibility Checker. The Compatibility Checker finds any potential compatibility issues and helps you create a report so that you can resolve them.

When you work on a workbook in Compatibility Mode, where the workbook is in Excel 97-2003 Binary file format (BIFF8) instead of the new Office Excel 2007 XML-based file format (.xlsx), the Compatibility Checker is automatically run when you save a workbook.

In Office Excel 2007, open the workbook that you want to check for compatibility.

How to open a workbook

Click Microsoft Office Button, and then click Open.

In the Look in list, click the drive, folder, or Internet location that contains the workbook that you want to open.

In the folder list, locate and open the folder that contains the workbook.